U.S. Queen Bees Work Overtime to Save Hives
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The farm economy just got a tiny boost: The number of honey-producing bee colonies in the U.S. has reached a 12-year high, according to the Agriculture Dept. That means the colony count is finally higher than at any time since Colony Collapse Disorder started to ravage the nation's hives.
Honey bees pollinate crops ranging from almonds to blueberries, and bee-pollinated fruit is found in products from Häagen-Dazs ice cream to General Mills (GIS) cereal. The government's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) estimates that pollinating by bees is worth $15 billion annually to the farming industry.